Never had a gas/elec/water supplier

kevcarling

Hi
I am currently in a relationship breakdown. My partner paid all the utility bills gas, elec and water. They were all in her name with Scottish Power. We have sold our house (STC) and i have had an offer for a flat which has been accepted. My question is, where do i start with the utilities? Who do i get in touch with? Will a comparison web site be any good?

Cheers

[Deleted User]

You speak to your solicitor and ensure that the searches that they have carried out include details of the present supplier/s to your flat. Once you move in, you contact the supplier with your details and a meter reading and then to can either stay with that supplier or switch to a new supplier. You will be billed by the present supplier until any transfer of supply goes through. You do not have a choice of water supplier but you do need to contact the water company with a meter reading.

If you provide more details of the size of the property and type of heating, someone will suggest a kWh/year figure that you can use in a price comparison website.

Robin9

To add - when you move out ring SP and give them your meter readings.   

Now is the time to get into the habit of reading your meters - at least every month. When you get your bills read them and understand the bottom line - credit or debit.

Neil_Jones

kevcarling said:

Hi
I am currently in a relationship breakdown. My partner paid all the utility bills gas, elec and water. They were all in her name with Scottish Power. We have sold our house (STC) and i have had an offer for a flat which has been accepted. My question is, where do i start with the utilities? Who do i get in touch with? Will a comparison web site be any good?

Cheers

Whoever currently supplies the flat will be your default supplier.  Contact them and say I've just moved into 221B Baker Street, here are my meter readings, can I have a new account please.  If you do not do this you will have issues down the line.  Once you've done that you can move provider via a comparison site.

Water you don't have a choice, it's fixed.  Still phone Severn Trent/Thames Water/South West Water or whoever up and say you've moved in, can I have a new account, my meter reading is <whatever> (if appropriate - it may be that the flat is on unmetered water).  Nothing to do with a comparison site (businesses can move water supplier but domestic customers can't).  It comes up on occasion that government may want to allow it for domestic customers, but whether that comes to pass is anybody's guess.

Phone/Internet is probably the only thing you can start from scratch.  Pick a provider and they'll do whatever legwork is needed to get it going.